Officially a Marauder
by WizardDemigodAvian-American
Summary: This is the story of how Peter became a marauder.


_Stop._

 _Please stop._

 _Just leave me alone._

 _What did I do?_

"Where are you doing, Petergrew?" a sixth-year Slytherin boy asks.

"It's Pettigrew," the twelve year old Gryffindor whispers.

"Did you say something?" The sixteen-year-old sneers.

"Show some of that 'Gryffindor bravery,'" the other Slytherin comments.

"Should have put him in Hufflepuff," he laughs. The other two boys chuckle.

"Hufflepuffs are loyal and kind. That must be the reason I don't see you in yellow," Peter says.

 _Oh no._

 _What did I do?_

 _Stupid, Peter. Why are you so stupid?_

"Leave the kid alone," James says.

"What are you going to do if I don't?" He laughs.

"I'll go get the Headmaster," Remus says.

"Oh, you'll go tattletale?" he laughs.

"Yeah, he will. He's quite lame, and it's a bit hard to bear," Sirius says. Remus and James glare at him.

"But I'm sure you don't want a detention so I won't let Remus here deal with you. I will. You can have a broken jaw or you can walk away," Sirius says. The Slytherins laugh. Remus winces as he hears a bone crack.

oOo

"Are you okay?" Remus asks.

"Yeah, they didn't hurt me," Peter answers.

"Maybe not physically. Are you sure you're okay?" He asks again.

"I just want to belong. I want to be a part of something," he says.

"You can, Peter. The three of us can be your new friends. Second year is just beginning. Think of all the detentions you can get for pulling pranks with Sirius! And all the homework you can trick me into doing. And all the jokes you can make about James loving Lily. You just have to be loyal and people will be loyal to you," Remus says.

"Yeah, you're in good company now, Pete," James says and plops onto his bed lazily.

"That's not always true. Shouldn't family be loyal?" Peter asks quietly.

"Yeah, they should," Sirius agrees. James sits up. "But they sometimes aren't and at some point in time you have to accept it. Sometimes you have to chose your own family. You find people who care about and are closer than blood." The four boys sit in silence for a moment.

"You can be part of our family. We're the most loyal friends you could ever have. We've all got a few problems but we help each other out. Are you in?" Remus asks.

"Ugh! Remus! We wanna be friends with the guy! Your speech is about to bore him to tears!" Sirius says. Mr. Black wasn't lying. Peter did look to be on the verge of tears. (Probably not from boredom, but same old, same old)

"Yeah, just, hmmm..., Promise you won't kill us and you'll be a Marauder!" James agrees. Remus rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, of course," Peter nods vigorously.

"Great! Remus, toss the boy some chocolate! Four is the perfect number. Let's celebrate. Now, Peter, don't go hiding by yourself and missing class again," James says. He speaks quickly and jumble show words a bit. Peter looks ecstatic.

"Yes, don't miss class again," Remus agrees.

"No, no, don't listen to him, Peter! Jamesy here only means not to skip class alone," Sirius says. Remus sighs.

"Yeah, we can cut class as a group now!" James says.

"A trio at most," Remus says. "And I'm hoping that none of us will."

"You should know better than that, Moony," Sirius laughs.

"I do, but I still hope," Remus says with an exaggerated sigh. He stares off into space wistfully. James throws his pillow at him and Remus laughs.

Peter eats a chocolate frog and looks at his new friends laughing and joking and being there for each other. He wouldn't trade that for the world, not after his parents told him not to come home for Christmas, not after the realization that he doesn't even want to go home, and not after the way the Slytherins treated him today.

"Why'd you call him Moony, Sirius?" Peter asks.

"That's the groups secret. I trust you can keep," James answers. Peter nods.

"I have lycanthropy," Remus says simply. He had been so afraid when James and Sirius had found out, but he wasn't anymore. He trusts these three boys more than anyone else in the world.

"Well, now you're officially a marauder," Sirius says.

"Of course there will be an initiation ceremony that could very well put all of us in detention for the rest of the year, but other than that, yes. It's official," James agrees.

oOo

October 31, 1981 was one of the worst days of Peter Pettigrew's life. He began down a dark path a few years ago and it just cost one of the only people who ever cared about him his life.

Peter stands outside the Potter's house. He lays a yellow rose on the doorstep, a yellow rose for friendship.

I kind of kept my promise, James. I didn't kill any of you.


End file.
